1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a two-piece connector comprising a receptacle and a header (plug) detachably connected with each other and to a method of press-connecting a flat cable with a two-piece connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a two-piece connector is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Sho 58-145074. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of this conventional two-piece connector which comprises a receptacle (male connector) 60 and a header (female connector) 64. The receptacle 60 has handles 61 pivoted to the right and left sides of an insulator by means of pins 62 and a flat cable 63 pressed against contacts (not shown) in the insulator and project outwards therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, each handle 61 is provided with a pawl 61a and a lifting portion 61b, and also has a holding portion 61c at its upper portion. On the other hand, the header 64 has pawl engaging portions 64a provided on the right and left sides of the insulator and received in grooves between the pawls 61a and the corresponding lift portions 61b. The header 64 has contacts 65 penetrating through and fixed to the insulator.
This structure allows an operator to remove the receptacle 60 from the header 64 fixed to printing board 66 with his single hand. Specifically, when the header 64 is removed from the receptacle 60, the holding portions 61c of the handles 61 are strongly held by the operator with the thumb and the index finger of his single hand, as shown in FIG. 16. The left and right handles 61 are rotated so as to approach each other and the pawls 61a are disengaged from the pawl engaging portions 64a of the header 64. At the same time, the lift portions 61b of the handles 61 push the insulator of the header 64 to permit the insulator at the side of the receptacle 60 to be pulled out of the header 64.
In this conventional connector, however, it is necessary to insert the receptacles 60 in the header 64 in a state in which the right and left handles 61 are opened, i.e., the pawls 61a and the lift portions 61b are set in an outwardly rotated state as shown in FIG. 17. If the receptacle 60 is to be inserted in the header 64 with the handles 61 left in an inwardly rotated state as shown in FIG. 16, the pawls 61a and the lift portions 61b hit against the insulator of the receptacle 60, preventing the receptacle 60 from being placed in the header 64. If the receptacle 60 were forcibly inserted in the header 61, on the other hand, the handles 61 would be broken. Since most users do not know the structures of OA devices (office automation devices), wrong handling incurs fatal trouble or breakage of the devices.